How do I Bike to Shop?

A young black woman in her late 20s/early 30s reaches down to put a paper bag of leafy greens in her rear bike pannier. She is dressed in business casual.

July 4, 2023

HUB Cycling's popular Bike to Shop event returns this summer from August 1-31! 

If you haven't shopped by bike before, shopping by bike is a lot easier than you might think! Follow these three steps:

1. Find the best and safest bike routes to visit the Bike to Shop neighborhoods with our free bike maps at bikehub.ca/maps.

2. Find secure bike parking while you shop and learn to lock your bike properly to deter bike thieves. This is one of the biggest deterrents to getting more people to bike to shop, and we get it. No one wants their bike stolen. But luckily, there are safe and secure parking options available and techniques you can use to deter bike thieves!

  • TransLink Bike Parkades: Bike Parkades are facilities at SkyTrain stations that allow you to "Bike and Ride". Park your bike right at the station or exchange and then jump on to transit. The cost is $1/day or $8/month for Bike Parkade. Find parkade locations here. 
  • TransLink Bike Lockers: Bike Lockers are assigned lockers perfect for commuters looking for a safe place to park their bike during the day, and cost only $10/month! Find locker locations here.
  • Bicycle Valet: A free bicycle valet is running in two of our Bike to Shop locations this summer: Granville Island and Steveston. Just like a coat check, they’ll tag your bike and provide you with a claim stub to bring back after you’re done shopping. 
  • Bike Racks: Many BIA’s have bike racks on the sidewalks of main shopping corridors and some businesses even have bike racks right outside their shop (you folks are the best). You can deter bike thieves by locking your bike with a good U-Lock or metal folding lock (never use a cable lock!), and making sure you lock your bike frame and one wheel to a proper bike rack. Check out more tips to deter bike thieves here. 

3. Think about how to transport your goodies home. You can install a basket, milk crate box, or panniers - but if you don’t already have these bike accessories, there’s no need to go out and buy them. A good backpack will also do the trick! Check out this article from Momentum Mag for more tips.

 

If you’re entirely new to biking to shop, don’t fret! Follow HUB Cycling on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for tips and tricks on how to make cycling to shops a part of your routine easily.

Learn more about HUB Cycling's free Bike to Shop event from August 1-31 by clicking here.